Malt-kiln.



No. 779,395. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

J. & A. J. BRAUN.

MALT KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BRAUN AND ALFRED J. BRAUN, OF BUFFALO, NEIV YORK.

MALT-KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7'7 9,395, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed April 15, 1904. Serial No. 203,306.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN BRAUN and AL- FRED J. BEAUN, citizens of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Malt-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to malt-kilns, and more particularly to that class of devices thereunder in which the malt is agitated during the process of germination or during drying. Its object is to provide means for thoroughly agitating the malt and for delivering the latter outside the machine when desired.

The invention may be said to consist in a traveling agitator and a conveyer adapted to be attached thereto to receive the malt and deliver it outside the machine.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a malt-kiln having the improved malt-turning apparatus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. i is a side elevation of the malt-turning drum with its attached side conveyer and rider. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the opposite side of the malt-drum, a portion of the end wall being broken away to show one of the reversible buckets. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the mechanism whereby a reverse rotation of the drumis produced. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of a portion of one of the reversible buckets.

A indicates a trough or bin which has along one side adjacent the bottom agate B, extending the whole length of the trough. A side trough C may be provided communicating with this gateway, and it may contain an ordinary screw conveyer C. On either side of the trough isatrack-railD, and parallel therewith is a gear-rack E. If desired, the track and rail may be formed in one piece. In any event they should extend for practically the entire length of the machine. A powerwheel F is aflixed to a shaft F at one end of the trough and drives a sprocket-chain G, which runs over an idle wheel F at the other end of the trough. As shown in Fig. 2, this sprocket runs parallel with but not immediately above the rack E.

The traveling agitator is indicated by the letter H, and, as shown, it has the form of a closed drum provided with end flanges n and peripheral buckets I. Mounted on shaft J, which passes through the drum and projects for a distance through either end, are two guide-wheels K, which run on track-rails D. Mounted on the same shaft outside of wheels K are cog-wheels L, which are located directly above, but held from contact with the racks E, owing to the greater diameter of wheels K. Connections between cog-wheels L and gear-racks E are aiforded by intermediate gears L, which are attached to the drum by means of arms M, loosely riding on shaft J N is a sprocket-wheel mounted on one extremity of shaft J and designed to mesh with chain G. For the purpose of this invention it is essential that wheel N engage with only one side of the endless chain, and the gear has been illustrated as meshing with the inner face of the upper side. It is apparent thata longitudinal movementof the upper side of chain Or will produce a rotary motion of drum H about its own axis while efiecting, through intermediate gear L, a longitudinal travel of the drum within the trough. The rotary motion of the drum must necessarily be in a reverse direction to the longitudinal movement.

Buckets O are substantially sector-like in cross-section, with their radial sides curved to fit the periphery of the drum, and are of such a size that when resting with one of their incurved sides against the drum the extremity of the other side will stand flush with the edges of flanges 12 and reach almost to the bottom of the trough. Each bucket is provided at one end, and preferably at the intersection of the incurved sides, with a crank-arm 0, which fits loosely within one of the slotted arms of a spider P, loosely mounted at one end of the drum on shaft J. By this arrangement the whole series of shovels may be reversed simultaneously. Moreover, it is to be noted that the incurved formation of the radial sides serves not only to effect a secure bearing against the periphery of the drum,

but to produce a dished surface into which to collect the malt during the travel of the drum.

R denotes a rider which is attached by arms '1 to the shaft of the drum and is intended to stand with its incurved inner side just out of contactwith the lower front quarter of the drum-flanges and passing at a suitable distance above the bottom of the trough to prevent an excessive amount of malt being taken up by each bucket in its revolution.

The conveyer for delivering the malt without the machine is indicated by the letter S. It comprises acasingS, having a length a little less than the width of the trough, and a screw S journaled within the casing. However, it is obvious that any suitable form of conveyer might be used instead of screw S The conveyer is attached to the drum by means of hook-arms .9, whose recurved ends .9 may be readily placed over shaft J. Screw S is driven by a chain T, which engages with sprocket-wheel T on the shaft of the conveyer and a similar wheel T mounted on the shaft of the drum. The open end of the conveyercasing is preferably provided with a chute t which leads directly into trough C.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the following description: As the drum proceeds from one end of the trough, rotating about its axis in a reverse direction, buckets O scoop up the grain and carry it over the drum, while rider R prevents an undue amount being taken up. When it is desired to reverse direction of the drum, chain G is driven in the opposite direction. Intermediate gear L may be swung over to the other side of gear L, so as either to lead or push the drum, as desired. When the malt has become sufficiently dried, gate B is opened, and transverse conveyer S is attached, by means of its hook-arms, to the rear portion of the drum, and the latter in its progress delivers the malt to screw S whence the product is conveyed into trough 0 outside the machine. The whole forms a very simple and efficient device, which is almost automatic in its action.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the character described,

the combination with the trough, track-rails on either side thereof, a stationary gear-rack parallel to and in the same horizontal plane with said rails, and a longitudinally-moving sprocket-chain; of a drum having an axial shaft projecting from its ends, guide-rollers mounted on said shaft and bearing on the rails, a gear-wheel also mounted on the shaft above but not in contact with the gear-rack, an intermediate gear meshing both with the last-named gear and the rack, and a sprocketwheel mounted on the shaft and in engagement with the sprocket-chain.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough, track-rails on either side thereof, stationary gear-racks parallel to said rails, and a longitudinally-moving sprocket-chain; of a drum having an axial shaft projecting from its ends, a guide-roller mounted on each end of said shaft and hearing on one of the rails, a gear-wheel also mounted on each end of the shaft above but not in contact with gear-racks, arms mounted loosely on said shaft, intermediate gears journaled in the ends of said arms and meshing both with the last-named gears and the gearrack, and a sprocket-wheel mounted on the shaft and in engagement with the sprocketchain.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with atrough and a rotating drum; of buckets mounted on the periphery thereof, said bucketshaving in cross-section the form of sectors with their radial sides incurved to fit the periphery of the drum, the outer radial sides of the buckets serving to carry the malt up and over the drum.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough, a rotating drum, reversible buckets mounted on the periphery thereof, said buckets having two incurved sides corresponding to the curvature of the drum; of means for simultaneously shifting said buckets to bring either of said incurved sides in contact with the drum, said means comprising crank-arms secured to the ends of said buckets at the intersection of the incurved faces, and a spider having the ends of its arms provided with slots engaging said crank-arms.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a, trough, a rotating drum having a shaft projecting from one end, buckets mounted on the periphery thereof, said buckets having in cross-section the form of sectors with their radial sides incurved, one of said sides being adapted to bear against the periphery of the drum while the other forms a projecting scoop; combined with crankarms secured to the ends of the buckets and aspider journaled on said shaft and engaging said crank-arms to reverse the buckets simultaneously.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough and a longitudinally-rnoving agitating-drum having a shaft projecting from its ends and buckets mounted on its periphery; of means for preventing excessive disturbance of the grain, comprising a rider attached to the drum in front of the lower front quarter thereof and adapted to travel over the surface of the grain.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough and a longitudinally-moving rotating drum having circular end flanges and buckets mounted between said flanges, of a rider located in front of the lower front quarter of the drum and having an incurved side adjacent the edges of said flanges, and arms secured to said rider and mounted loosely on the shaft.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough and a longitudinally-moving rotating drum; of a oonveyer traveling in the rear of said drum and located transversely of the trough.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough having a gate extending throughout the lower portion of one of its sides, and a longitudinally-moving rotating drum; of a conveyer traveling in the rear of said drum and opening through said gate.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a trough and longitudinally-moving rotating drum having a shaft projecting from its ends; of a transverse conveyer at the rear of said drum, comprising a casing and ascreW journaled therein,and hookarms secured to said conveyer and removably attached to the drum-shaft.

signatures in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN BRAUN. ALFRED J BRAUN WVitnesses:

JOSEPHINE E. BRAUN, EMIL NEUHART. 

